Kai & Cricket

Breed: Keeshonds

​Age: Kai - 9; Cricket - 8

Owners: Chuck Smith and Lisa Graeff-Smith

Town of residence: Temple

When did you meet your pets, and why did you select them to become members of the family?

I [Lisa] have had a Keeshond in my life since I was 18. A little over a month before bringing Kai home, I had lost my Keeshond, Mason, to sinus cancer at the age of 11. Initially, I swore I wasn't getting another dog, but I missed him so much and finally called a local Keeshond breeder and asked her if she had any pups available. She connected me with the breeder of Kai, since one of her dogs was the sire, and we brought him home when he was four months old.  

Cricket came to us sort of by accident. When she was four months old, the breeder needed to leave the area for several months and we offered to “foster” her until they returned. Chuck will tell you that any animal that comes into our house becomes a member of the family and never leaves, so the rest is history. 

What makes your pets unique?

You don't see very many Keeshonds around, and most people are completely unfamiliar with the breed. We get, “Oh, is that a Chow Chow/Husky/Eskimo dog, etc.?” or people want to pronounce it “quiche-hound.” They are barkers, since the breed was originally bred to be watchdogs on the canal barges in Holland. You will never get anywhere near our house without them letting us know someone is coming! They are happy, intelligent and, of course, beautiful!

Do you and your pets share any unique experiences together?

Kai and Cricket love the beach!  They're not too big on going into the water any further than tummy deep, but running on the sand and wading in the ocean puts a smile on their faces. I love seeing them happy. 

If you had to describe your relationship with your pets to someone, how would you do it?

They mean the world to us and they can always make you smile when you've had a really crappy day. They’re our kids! Kai is a total mama’s baby and Cricket is a daddy’s girl. They are so jealous if my hubby and I hug or kiss. They will bark and try to squeeze between us. And they are both spoiled rotten. They’re our fuzz butts!  

How has pet ownership enriched your life?

I can't imagine a home without pets. We have two cats as well, Asher and Zoey, and two foster cats, Barkley and Omar, who have been with us for more than a year. They can be messy and at times even expensive, but I wouldn't give any of them up for the world!

 

Othello

Breed: Lynx point Siamese mix

Age: 2 years 

Owners: Jessica Bender and Troy Rauenzahn 

Town of residence: Shillington​

When did you meet your pet and why did you select him to become a member of the family?

Troy and I decided to start fostering cats after a visit to the Wyomissing PetSmart one afternoon about two years ago. Othello had been trapped from a cat colony behind the Reading Fairgrounds Farmers Market as part of a T-N-R (trap/neuter/release) program by No Nonsense Neutering. One of the vet techs noticed this scared but very sweet young male cat and decided not to let him be released back to the colony – unfortunately not before the standard ear tipping was already complete. This shy little boy was placed in a temporary foster home, but due to the quantity of cats already there he was kept in a cage. He was not happy. So we were contacted by the adoption coordinator for One by One Cat Rescue and asked if we would be willing to foster him. 

He was our first foster. Both of us being Shakespeare fans, we decided to name him Othello. He was so scared. But we consistently worked with him, introduced him to our cats, and he finally came out of his shell. We grew fond of his loving personality, and the day came when we had to take him to his first adoption event. As you can see from his pictures, his irresistible face made him a hit, and he was adopted within an hour. Upon our return home, we were really questioning our decision not to keep him. Fate has a funny way of working its magic. The family that adopted him evidently didn’t have the patience that we had and returned him to One by One within a week. We wouldn’t make the same mistake again. We made him ours.

What makes your pet unique?

His adorable face with those blue eyes. The ear tip is also very distinct and is a constant reminder of what may have happened to him if that vet tech hadn’t noticed his potential. 

Do you and your pet share any unique experiences together?

Othello has been incredible with the kittens that we foster. He is the head of the welcoming committee and is always the one to make first contact. His sweet personality comforts them and makes our job of socializing them much easier. 

If you had to describe your relationship with your pet to someone, how would you do it?

He is our big love bug. We have never met a cat that loves so unconditionally. And we’ve met a lot of cats. Othello just loves to be with us, and his eyes seem to thank us every day for rescuing him. 

How has pet ownership enriched your life?

Feeling the unconditional love that pets can give makes you examine love towards people from a different perspective. The responsibility that comes with having pets as companions makes one appreciate life on a higher level. They rely on us for care as we rely on them to be reminders of the beauty in symbiotic relationships. Humans can learn a lot from our animal friends. We just need to open our hearts.  

 

Smug the Pug

Breed: Pug

Age: 15 

Owner: Marcy Tocker

Town of residence: Fleetwood

When did you meet your pet, and why did you select him to become a member of the family?

I have a place in my heart for senior and special needs animals. I run the Grey Muzzle Foster Program at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County. I am lucky that I get to share my passion with everyone I meet. I had been looking for another senior Pug. I had two previous “HosPugs” (hospice Pugs) and fell in love with the breed. A co-worker alerted me to a Pug in need. When I saw his picture, I knew I had to have him. He arrived at my house and my heart melted. I felt like a new mom seeing her baby for the first time. 

What makes your pet unique?

Smug is paralyzed. We do not know how long he had been paralyzed prior to rescue. He had never been in a cart and was suffering from a variety of medical issues. Smug helps teach us that we can do anything we want if we set our minds to it. He runs in his cart, chews bones in his cart, and even prefers to eat/drink in his cart. He wants to be like the other dogs, and he is. He is a daily inspiration to me and everyone who meets him. 

Do you and your pet share any unique experiences together?

Due to Smug’s paralysis, he needs assistance going to the bathroom. This means that Smug and I are together almost all of the time. I am grateful that I can bring him to work with me, enabling me to provide the ongoing care he needs. Smug has been introduced to quite a few members of the public who are fascinated by his cart. I always use those moments as a teaching opportunity so that people know that even though he is disabled, he’s just like any other dog. I think that this lesson should be carried over into every other relationship in our lives. If we lived life like Smug, the world would be a better place. 

If you had to describe your relationship with your pet to someone, how would you do it?

Smug is 100 percent dependent on me for his needs. I know his cries and what they mean. Sometimes he cries just because he wants to be held and promptly passes out in my arms. I look at him and my heart swells. He trusts me completely.  He knows that whatever he needs, I will provide. I think that is a very special relationship. 

How has pet ownership enriched your life?

My pets are my family. Smug is one of many residents on my small farm in Fleetwood. They are my life and my world. They are my reason for moving forward every day. They make me laugh when laughter seems impossible. Most importantly, they provide unconditional love. People often say that Smug is lucky to have me. I think that I am lucky to have him. 

* Our hearts are heavy for Marcy Tocker as Smug passed before this issue was printed. We hope you'll read Smug's story and see what an inspiration he was, an is. Run free, Smug!

 

Charlie & Lola

Breed: Charlie – Lionhead/Lop; Lola – Lionhead/Dwarf 

Age: Charlie – 10 months; Lola – 1 year 

Owners: Nick Campbell & Cara Giagnocavo 

Town of residence: West Reading

When did you meet your pets, and why did you select them to become members of the family?

We knew we wanted to be pet owners, but not your typical pet owners. Lola was born on the farm of a friend of Nick’s, and we decided to adopt her as ours. The more research we did, the better we understood that rabbits are social creatures, and we knew we needed to get Lola a friend. That’s when we met Charlie, from another rabbit family in West Reading. Bonding rabbits isn’t always easy. With rabbits there is always a “top bunny,” and Lola made sure Charlie knew she was the top bunny. Once Charlie accepted this, they were best friends. 

What makes your pets unique?

They’re rabbits! We think that says it all.

Do you and your pets share any unique experiences together?

Lola and Charlie show love to us in different ways. Sometimes we joke that they should be called Lovin’ Lola, because Lola will give us kisses whenever we ask for “bunny kisses,” and Chillin’ Charlie because Charlie will let us hold him whereas Lola likes her paws to be on the ground. Nick feeds the bunnies treats by holding them in his own mouth. He just has to point to his mouth and Lola & Charlie will “beg.” Begging is when the bunnies stand on their hind legs, paws sort of out, looking too adorable to deny treats to.

If you had to describe your relationship with your pets to someone, how would you do it?

We’re crazy bunny people. We miss them as soon as we’re gone. We take them to the market; we seem to always be shopping for them, at times being stricter with what they eat than what we do (i.e. only organic vegetables); we enter them in Pet Photo Contests, exchange photos with other bunny owners and just generally talk about them too much. 

How has pet ownership enriched your life?

Being pet owners has made us happier people. When we wake up in the morning and head to the living room, Lola is waiting right in front of her door to come out; it's like she can't wait to see us before we leave for the day. Mornings are a lot easier when you have adorable pets waiting to see you. Rabbits show their happiness by “popcorning.” That's when they hop and jump and twist their bodies in the air. When our buns popcorn it melts our hearts. Knowing they are happy is such a good feeling. 

  

 Kai & Cricket

Breed: Keeshonds

​Age: Kai - 9; Cricket - 8

Owners: Chuck Smith and Lisa Graeff-Smith

Town of residence: Temple

When did you meet your pets, and why did you select them to become members of the family?

I [Lisa] have had a Keeshond in my life since I was 18. A little over a month before bringing Kai home, I had lost my Keeshond, Mason, to sinus cancer at the age of 11. Initially, I swore I wasn't getting another dog, but I missed him so much and finally called a local Keeshond breeder and asked her if she had any pups available. She connected me with the breeder of Kai, since one of her dogs was the sire, and we brought him home when he was four months old.  

Cricket came to us sort of by accident. When she was four months old, the breeder needed to leave the area for several months and we offered to “foster” her until they returned. Chuck will tell you that any animal that comes into our house becomes a member of the family and never leaves, so the rest is history. 

What makes your pets unique?

You don't see very many Keeshonds around, and most people are completely unfamiliar with the breed. We get, “Oh, is that a Chow Chow/Husky/Eskimo dog, etc.?” or people want to pronounce it “quiche-hound.” They are barkers, since the breed was originally bred to be watchdogs on the canal barges in Holland. You will never get anywhere near our house without them letting us know someone is coming! They are happy, intelligent and, of course, beautiful!

Do you and your pets share any unique experiences together?

Kai and Cricket love the beach!  They're not too big on going into the water any further than tummy deep, but running on the sand and wading in the ocean puts a smile on their faces. I love seeing them happy. 

If you had to describe your relationship with your pets to someone, how would you do it?

They mean the world to us and they can always make you smile when you've had a really crappy day. They’re our kids! Kai is a total mama’s baby and Cricket is a daddy’s girl. They are so jealous if my hubby and I hug or kiss. They will bark and try to squeeze between us. And they are both spoiled rotten. They’re our fuzz butts!  

How has pet ownership enriched your life?

I can't imagine a home without pets. We have two cats as well, Asher and Zoey, and two foster cats, Barkley and Omar, who have been with us for more than a year. They can be messy and at times even expensive, but I wouldn't give any of them up for the world!

 

Othello

Breed: Lynx point Siamese mix

Age: 2 years 

Owners: Jessica Bender and Troy Rauenzahn 

Town of residence: Shillington​

When did you meet your pet and why did you select him to become a member of the family?

Troy and I decided to start fostering cats after a visit to the Wyomissing PetSmart one afternoon about two years ago. Othello had been trapped from a cat colony behind the Reading Fairgrounds Farmers Market as part of a T-N-R (trap/neuter/release) program by No Nonsense Neutering. One of the vet techs noticed this scared but very sweet young male cat and decided not to let him be released back to the colony – unfortunately not before the standard ear tipping was already complete. This shy little boy was placed in a temporary foster home, but due to the quantity of cats already there he was kept in a cage. He was not happy. So we were contacted by the adoption coordinator for One by One Cat Rescue and asked if we would be willing to foster him. 

He was our first foster. Both of us being Shakespeare fans, we decided to name him Othello. He was so scared. But we consistently worked with him, introduced him to our cats, and he finally came out of his shell. We grew fond of his loving personality, and the day came when we had to take him to his first adoption event. As you can see from his pictures, his irresistible face made him a hit, and he was adopted within an hour. Upon our return home, we were really questioning our decision not to keep him. Fate has a funny way of working its magic. The family that adopted him evidently didn’t have the patience that we had and returned him to One by One within a week. We wouldn’t make the same mistake again. We made him ours.

What makes your pet unique?

His adorable face with those blue eyes. The ear tip is also very distinct and is a constant reminder of what may have happened to him if that vet tech hadn’t noticed his potential. 

Do you and your pet share any unique experiences together?

Othello has been incredible with the kittens that we foster. He is the head of the welcoming committee and is always the one to make first contact. His sweet personality comforts them and makes our job of socializing them much easier. 

If you had to describe your relationship with your pet to someone, how would you do it?

He is our big love bug. We have never met a cat that loves so unconditionally. And we’ve met a lot of cats. Othello just loves to be with us, and his eyes seem to thank us every day for rescuing him. 

How has pet ownership enriched your life?

Feeling the unconditional love that pets can give makes you examine love towards people from a different perspective. The responsibility that comes with having pets as companions makes one appreciate life on a higher level. They rely on us for care as we rely on them to be reminders of the beauty in symbiotic relationships. Humans can learn a lot from our animal friends. We just need to open our hearts.  

 

Smug the Pug

Breed: Pug

Age: 15 

Owner: Marcy Tocker

Town of residence: Fleetwood

When did you meet your pet, and why did you select him to become a member of the family?

I have a place in my heart for senior and special needs animals. I run the Grey Muzzle Foster Program at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County. I am lucky that I get to share my passion with everyone I meet. I had been looking for another senior Pug. I had two previous “HosPugs” (hospice Pugs) and fell in love with the breed. A co-worker alerted me to a Pug in need. When I saw his picture, I knew I had to have him. He arrived at my house and my heart melted. I felt like a new mom seeing her baby for the first time. 

What makes your pet unique?

Smug is paralyzed. We do not know how long he had been paralyzed prior to rescue. He had never been in a cart and was suffering from a variety of medical issues. Smug helps teach us that we can do anything we want if we set our minds to it. He runs in his cart, chews bones in his cart, and even prefers to eat/drink in his cart. He wants to be like the other dogs, and he is. He is a daily inspiration to me and everyone who meets him. 

Do you and your pet share any unique experiences together?

Due to Smug’s paralysis, he needs assistance going to the bathroom. This means that Smug and I are together almost all of the time. I am grateful that I can bring him to work with me, enabling me to provide the ongoing care he needs. Smug has been introduced to quite a few members of the public who are fascinated by his cart. I always use those moments as a teaching opportunity so that people know that even though he is disabled, he’s just like any other dog. I think that this lesson should be carried over into every other relationship in our lives. If we lived life like Smug, the world would be a better place. 

If you had to describe your relationship with your pet to someone, how would you do it?

Smug is 100 percent dependent on me for his needs. I know his cries and what they mean. Sometimes he cries just because he wants to be held and promptly passes out in my arms. I look at him and my heart swells. He trusts me completely.  He knows that whatever he needs, I will provide. I think that is a very special relationship. 

How has pet ownership enriched your life?

My pets are my family. Smug is one of many residents on my small farm in Fleetwood. They are my life and my world. They are my reason for moving forward every day. They make me laugh when laughter seems impossible. Most importantly, they provide unconditional love. People often say that Smug is lucky to have me. I think that I am lucky to have him. 

* Our hearts are heavy for Marcy Tocker as Smug passed before this issue was printed. We hope you'll read Smug's story and see what an inspiration he was, an is. Run free, Smug!

 

Charlie & Lola

Breed: Charlie – Lionhead/Lop; Lola – Lionhead/Dwarf 

Age: Charlie – 10 months; Lola – 1 year 

Owners: Nick Campbell & Cara Giagnocavo 

Town of residence: West Reading

When did you meet your pets, and why did you select them to become members of the family?

We knew we wanted to be pet owners, but not your typical pet owners. Lola was born on the farm of a friend of Nick’s, and we decided to adopt her as ours. The more research we did, the better we understood that rabbits are social creatures, and we knew we needed to get Lola a friend. That’s when we met Charlie, from another rabbit family in West Reading. Bonding rabbits isn’t always easy. With rabbits there is always a “top bunny,” and Lola made sure Charlie knew she was the top bunny. Once Charlie accepted this, they were best friends. 

What makes your pets unique?

They’re rabbits! We think that says it all.

Do you and your pets share any unique experiences together?

Lola and Charlie show love to us in different ways. Sometimes we joke that they should be called Lovin’ Lola, because Lola will give us kisses whenever we ask for “bunny kisses,” and Chillin’ Charlie because Charlie will let us hold him whereas Lola likes her paws to be on the ground. Nick feeds the bunnies treats by holding them in his own mouth. He just has to point to his mouth and Lola & Charlie will “beg.” Begging is when the bunnies stand on their hind legs, paws sort of out, looking too adorable to deny treats to.

If you had to describe your relationship with your pets to someone, how would you do it?

We’re crazy bunny people. We miss them as soon as we’re gone. We take them to the market; we seem to always be shopping for them, at times being stricter with what they eat than what we do (i.e. only organic vegetables); we enter them in Pet Photo Contests, exchange photos with other bunny owners and just generally talk about them too much. 

How has pet ownership enriched your life?

Being pet owners has made us happier people. When we wake up in the morning and head to the living room, Lola is waiting right in front of her door to come out; it's like she can't wait to see us before we leave for the day. Mornings are a lot easier when you have adorable pets waiting to see you. Rabbits show their happiness by “popcorning.” That's when they hop and jump and twist their bodies in the air. When our buns popcorn it melts our hearts. Knowing they are happy is such a good feeling. 

  

by nikki m. murry | photos by darren modricker, willow street pictures